MetS may contribute to the development of accelerated atherosclerosis in SLE.

We evaluated the influence of the hereditary make-up on the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in two ethnic groups [Gypsy and white Caucasian Mediterranean (WCM) populations], living in the same geographic area. We compared 81 WCM and 25 Gypsy patients with SLE. The control group consisted of 185 healthy unrelated individuals, 105 WC and 80 Gypsies. In the Gypsy population, the onset of SLE occurred at earlier ages than in the other ethnic group (25.9 versus 32.0 years, P = 0.02), and showed lower SLEDAI peak values (4.9 versus 7.0, P = 0.016). The frequency of joint, kidney, gastrointestinal and eye involvement was significantly lower in Gypsy patients. In contrast, SLE-associated antiphospholipid syndrome, thrombosis and livedo reticularis were more frequent in Gypsies than in the majority ethnic group (WCM). In WCM patients, DRB1* 1303-DQB1*0301 haplotype was associated with SLE (P = 0.001, Pc = 0.038). We found SLE to be associated with DR5 (P = 0.006, Pc = 0.05) in the Gypsy population as well as a protective effect of DPB1*0401 when DR5 was not present (P = 0.008, Pc = 0.032). In conclusion, we found some clinical differences between WCM and Gypsy patients with SLE. Furthermore, HLA associations between HLA-DRB1-DQB1 and SLE were different for Gypsy people.

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The objective of this article was to evaluate whether serum uric acid (SUA) correlates with arterial stiffness and inflammation markers in a cohort of women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) without overt atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, who attended a community hospital. One hundred and two women with SLE were assessed as part of this cross-sectional study. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured using an automatic device (Complior). C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen and homocysteine levels as well as other metabolic results were recorded. Duration and activity of SLE, damage accrual and treatments were recorded. SLE women were categorized as having or not having hyperuricaemia (HU) according to SUA levels (greater than or up to 6.2 mg/dl, respectively). A multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the independent link between SUA levels and other variables. Women with SLE and HU (n = 15, 15%) had a worse cardiovascular risk profile that included ageing, hypertension, obesity, higher total cholesterol levels, renal failure and presence of metabolic syndrome. Also, the duration of SLE was increased and damage accrual was greater. In the unadjusted analysis, SUA levels correlated with PWV, CRP, fibrinogen and homocysteine. However, in a multivariate linear regression analysis, SUA levels independently correlated with the duration of SLE, creatinine, total cholesterol and homocysteine levels but did not correlate with PWV. In conclusion, SUA was associated with arterial stiffness, but not independently of age and homocysteine levels. Nevertheless, SUA might be an ancillary indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis in SLE women without clinically evident atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

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